So you have a desire to help improve and enrich your school or community? Joining the Key Club is a fantastic way to make a difference in your area! Joining the Key Club is easy if you are committed to hard work and making a difference. Some of the qualifications for Key Club membership include good moral character and the desire to make a difference. You must also have high scholastic achievement, and a willingness to complete at least fifty hours of service to you community per year. Once you have joined, it is important to let your voice be heard! What changes would you like to see in your area? What needs do you think the club could fulfill? If you currently do not have a Key Club at your school learn how to start one here: http://keyclub.org/startaclub.aspx Speaking with a former Key Club member may help this process. For instance, former Key Club Treasurer, Erica Desai, enjoys giving back to the community by helping those looking to make a difference who wish to start a club at their school. Here are some steps for finding the right project for your group to make a real impact! Survey the community-A good way to get the ball rolling and find a project that would truly benefit the community is to take a survey of relevant members in your area. Relevant community members could include: teachers in your school, the Principal or Vice Principal, Chief of Police, Fire Chief or other administrators. Involve individuals who may have input or the means to get the project approved and in motion. Interviewing the Administrators-Make sure you come prepared! Let the interviewee know the capabilities of the club. For example, how many members are there? Are there any special skills the members possess? What limitations may the club have? Show up well dressed and open to suggestions! Choose your project! What suggestions seem viable? The board should reconvene with all suggestions that the club seems capable of completing and choose a community project! Tip: Try to choose something that gets people excited and involved. Find something that can be completed in a short amount of time and interests a wide variety of people. Thank your interviewees for their time! Make sure to send "thank you" notes and to make all parties involved in the project aware of the project chosen. Keep school faculty abreast of all progress and have fun making a difference!